Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Hobbs and Shaw Review, August Movie Preview, and Lots of News

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.


My awesome co-hosts today are Renee Scattergood, Sadira Stone, Jacqui Murray, Tamara Narayan, and LG Keltner!

August 7 question - Has your writing ever taken you by surprise? For example, a positive and belated response to a submission you'd forgotten about or an ending you never saw coming?

This whole author thing in general I never saw coming.

But having a couple of my books hit the top of science fiction on both Amazon US and UK definitely took me by surprise!

Plus all the support when I got online surprised me.

What’s surprised you?


And quick report – I did get a lot written last month!

Don’t forget, only one month left to enter the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Annual Anthology Contest!
Genre is middle grade historical – either adventure or fantasy – and the theme is voyagers.
See the site for full details.






Here is August’s IWSG Instagram:
 


The WEP Challenge for August is Red Wheelbarrow.
Use the time between now and then to write and edit your entry, so you're ready to post your direct link at the WEP site between August 21 - 23.









Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw – Movie Review

It continues the story with Hobbs and Shaw working together to find a deadly virus.
You know what you’re going to get with this franchise. If you’re a fan, you’ll enjoy it. If not, skip it.
I’m capable of leaving my brain at the door and just enjoying the crazy stunts and ridiculous, over-the-top action sequences. And those bat-crap crazy moments are spectacular.
The interaction between the leads is filled with funny insults and snarky comments. Toss in Ryan Reynolds (playing himself so well) and Kevin Hart and it’s funny from start to end. Idris Elba is a convincing and ruthless villain, and Vanessa Kirby is a kick-ass heroine.
As with the rest of the franchise, it’s all about family bonds.
And lots of wild car stunts.
Highly recommended.


New Releases!

Peel by Angela Brown
Published by Book Jaunts
Find it on Amazon and several other sites

Fractured Princess by Debra Renee Byrd
Available on Amazon in paperback eBook

Emergency Transmission by Sean McLachlan
Fourth book in the Toxic World series
Find it on Amazon








August Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming theatrical releases for August! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

9 –

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
A group of teens face their fears in order to save their lives.
Director: André Øvredal
Stars: Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Dean Norris
PG-13 – they might actually have to rely on scares rather than gore.





16 –

47 Meters Down: Uncaged
Four teen girls diving in a ruined underwater city quickly learn they've entered the territory of the deadliest shark species in the claustrophobic labyrinth of submerged caves.
Director: Johannes Roberts
Stars: Nia Long, John Corbett, Sophie Nélisse, Brec Bassinger
Because there were so many unanswered questions from the first film…



23 –

Angel Has Fallen
Secret Service Agent Mike Banning is framed for the attempted assassination of the President and must evade his own agency and the FBI as he tries to uncover the real threat.
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Stars: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Piper Perabo, Lance Reddick
How many things can fall in one guy’s lifetime?



Anything about your writing surprise you? Catch Hobbs and Shaw yet? Entering the IWSG Anthology Contest? (Less than a month!) Writing for WEP? And what movies will you be seeing this month?

My next post will be August 19 when I report on the final RiffTrax of the summer - The Giant Spider Invasion!

119 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

I am amazed that your success took you by surprise. Your online support? A direct parallel exists between the generous support you provide and the support you have received.

Botanist said...

I guess writing at all caught me by surprise, because I'd been thoroughly turned off any notion of creative writing at school and never gave it another thought until it sneaked up on me a few years ago!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex - glad I can miss Hobbs and Shaw! I'm always amazed at the support I get - I think I've written something a little off my own mark - yet get the 'I really loved this story' ... always staggers me. Like Ian - I definitely wasn't encouraged to write creatively at all - so am blown away by the support I've had and get ...

Thanks for all your continued updating of life in the blogs for us ... so pleased you don't do much social media! Suits me! Cheers Hilary

nashvillecats2 said...

You did exceedingly well Alex with your books but they ARE good books so you deserve all the credit given to you. Lots of interesting review and views to read. Thanks for a wonderful post.

Yvonne.

lostinimaginaryworlds.blogspot.com said...

How you find the time to organise this, the other activities that help others, and your own writing is amazing 🌹

dolorah said...

I am a Fast and Furious Fan - despite the loss of Paul Walker.

In my experience, writing takes on its own life. You can start with an idea, but story just develops itself. Gotta love our characters, lol.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

congrats on lots of writing!

I enjoyed Hobbs and Shaw too.

Pat Hatt said...

Great to get a lot of writing done indeed.

Yeah, you have to check your brain at the door with F&F anything, but then it is a fun ride. They pretty much get anyone they want in those movies.

Liza said...

You reap what you sow. You give so much online, Alex. What you get back is truly deserved.

Mason Canyon said...

I agree with Liza and you sow extremely well. 😊 Glad to hear Hobbs and Shaw is worth a look, can't wait to see it. Congratulations to those with new releases.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Elephant's Child, thank you.

Ian, same here!

Hilary, thanks.

Thank you, Yvonne.

Lost, thanks! I do my best.

Donna, you will enjoy it then.

Lynda, it was just mindless fun.

Pat, after the billions of dollars that franchise has made, they can do anything now.

Liza, thanks.

Tyrean Martinson said...

Your success is deserved, but I love that you're humble enough to be surprised! Congratulations on all your writing!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Writing seems to come really naturally to you, but you're such a creative person...that really helps!

Love the snarky comments for the upcoming films. :)

Donna K. Weaver said...

We're looking forward to Hobbs and Shaw. The trailer makes it look fun.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Hope you enjoyed your break, Alex, and good for you for getting all that writing done!

I'm in a bit of a movie-watching slump, but I'm looking forward to THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN. Just not sure if I'll see it in the theater - pretty sure I'm going to cry and don't want to weep in public. :)

The Cynical Sailor said...

Yay for getting lots of writing done - can't wait to read the finished product when it's published.

Congrats to everyone on their new releases :)

Ellen

Joanne said...

glad you've been writing up a storm (and seeing movies). I do plan on seeing Hobbs & Shaw - and yes I can allow ridiculousness to inhabit my brain. But looking at your other list of flicks - how is Gerard Butler still making movies? He's so bad.
Hope you are staying cool. Happy August.

Jennifer Hawes said...

Hobbs & Shaw looks amazing! Can't wait to see it. I'm trying not to be surprised that school starts next week for us, but it's difficult. Where did the summer go???

Natalie Aguirre said...

I never thought I'd want to write either. Glad you've been writing a lot. I wrote more than usual in July too. Hope I can keep it up so that I finish my manuscript in 2020.

Jennifer Lane said...

The IWSG surprises me with its amazing support and growing community!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Elizabeth, glad you enjoyed the snark.

Madeline, oh why not?

Joanne, someone keeps throwing money at him I guess.

Thanks, everyone!

Erika Beebe said...

Strangely, 47 Meters Down has caught my eye :)

Angela Wooldridge said...

Yes - the mutual support you get from other writers was a huge surprise, people are so good at sharing their experiences, resources and knowledge.

Tonja Drecker said...

Congrats on getting writing done! And wow, that clock is ticking away to the contest. Can't wait to see all of the stories :)

Debra Renée Byrd said...

And your work is awesome! Thanks for promoting me! :D

I'm a huge Fast and Furious fan, and I can't wait to see this one! I still have to see the one(s) they did after Paul died.

The fact that they're finally doing Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is crazy! I loved that book when I was a kid. Are You Afraid of the Dark? is also coming back to Nickelodeon! I can't imagine what they're going to do with it!

Jemi Fraser said...

I"m a pantser so I'm always surprised by my writing! :)
Haven't watched many movies at all this month - life has been super busy but I know hubby wants to see H&S :)

Jo said...

I'm not surprised, you always said you wouldn't write, but your success was assured because so many people know who you are and immediately want to read your books. Looking forward to the current book when you have finished it.

Birgit said...

You are a great writer and a great supporter...you are a rare individual. I am surprised that people find me funny with my blog writings. I am not a follower of The Fast and the Furious but this one looks like fun. The bits I have seen of some of the fast and furious..they would have broken so many bones and died many times over.

Sadira Stone said...

While Hubs is away golfing this week, I'm going to plow through a stack of Jane Austen-themed DVDs my sis-in-law lent me. Hardly your favorite flavor, but I'm looking forward to my private film festival. Happy writing in August, Alex!

Anonymous said...

My writing surprises me daily. I'm always amazed by some of the ideas/plots/characters that pop into my head. And I, too, was surprised by the great support from online groups like IWSG.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

It's not surprise people support you.

It looks like a sad August for movies.

Lynn La Vita said...

What surprised me? How much I enjoyed Dragon of the Stars.

Plus, when I checked my IWSG blog hop post, there were TWO comments already! I joined IWSG Jan 6, 2015 and this was the first time. Nice way to start the day.

Wishing you continued success!

Lynn

Lynn La Vita @ Writers Supporting Writers

H. R. Sinclair said...

That you just being an author was surprising to you is interesting, especially since you write so well!

I haven't seen movies in months. I will say it would be so great to have a scary movie that relied on being scary!

Cathrina Constantine said...

I'm going to see the new Spiderman movie tonight. Most of the summer movies hadn't tickled my funnybone, looking forward to the fall premieres.

I'm glad to hear you've gotten a lot of reading accomplished. Keep going!!!

Diane Burton said...

Your surprises are the same as mine. I never planned to be an author. Although you got me beat with the best-seller thing, I'm pleasantly surprised by the online support with the IWSG and others. Yay, us!

Stacy McKitrick said...

Yay to getting words written! That's always a good thing.
Everything about my writing surprised me. That I could actually finish a book surprised me. That I could attend a writer's convention and not die from shyness surprised me. And that I can talk to readers without shaking like a leaf anymore definitely surprised me. Writing has been the best thing to happen to me and I'm glad I took the plunge.

Rachna Chhabria said...

Hi Alex, you have done extremely well with your books. I know how popular your books are, no wonder they are bestsellers. Waiting for more bestsellers from you :)

Gwen Gardner said...

The whole writing thing is such a nice surprise! I never dreamed I'd be a writer either. It didn't occur to me until much later in life that I'd like to be a writer. Always an avid reader though.

So glad you discovered writing too!

Andrew Leon said...

So many things are both surprising and not at the same time that I wouldn't know where to start.

Loni Townsend said...

Hobbs and Shaw looks like a lot of fun--definitely one my husband and I are going to go watch one of these days.

Woot on getting a lot of writing done! That's great!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Debra, watch those first.

Jo, thanks!

Birgit, very true! They wouldn't survive most of those stunts.

Lynn, thanks for taking a chance on my book.

Cathrina, you will enjoy it.

Thanks, everyone!

PJ Colando said...

I'm surprised that you are surprised you've received public and online support - you give and give, so you should receive and receive. It's the JOY of living and may it ever endure!

Tamara Narayan said...

I'd like to see Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, but I might Redbox it. Really looking forward to It: Chapter 2 in September.

Juneta key said...

I can't wait to see Hobbs and Shaw and want to see Angel has Fallen too. Happy IWSG Day!

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

We're "Fast & Furious" fans, so I can't wait to see "Hobbs & Shaw." The stunts in those movies are always over-the-top nuts, but that's part of what makes them so fun. That and the snarky lines. Plus, for this latest release, we saw the "Songland" show where a song was selected to be in the movie. It'll be kind of fun hearing it in the movie.

Mary Aalgaard said...

I talked myself out of writing a story for the next contest, now I'm feeling like I should at least give it a try.
Your success, surprise or not, is inspiring!

Nicki Elson said...

Congrats on getting lots of writing done. And on all of your successes as a writer - crazy that being an author was something you never saw coming.

Anonymous said...

Those all sound like great surprises to have, Alex. =)

Empty Nest Insider said...

I agree with everyone that your success couldn’t have happened to a more deserving writer and blogger. Alex, you continue to inspire and support us all for which I’m truly grateful. Hobbs & Shaw sounds like a fun movie. Thanks for hosting another great IWSG!

Julie

cleemckenzie said...

Those were great surprises! Good to see so many new books out. I assume the authors are all IWSG peeps!

Computer Tutor said...

I have to say, hitting Amazon's top tier would surprise the h*** out of me!

Arlee Bird said...

You at least had a drive to write--something which I have lacked.

I'm sure my wife will like Hobbs & Shaw since she prefers action packed films. If she likes it then I'll probably enjoy watching it as well.

None of those August releases grabs me all that much, but it's August and I don't expect much this time of year.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

Sarah Foster said...

Glad you've been doing lots of writing!

M.J. Fifield said...

I had a similar thought when I saw the preview for that Angel Is Fallen movie.

Hooray for getting a lot of writing done!

Shady Del Knight said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Susan, that's cool.

Mary, try it!

Nicki, it wasn't.

Thanks, everyone!

Shady Del Knight said...

Hi, Alex!

Regarding Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, if it is rated PG-13 and the plot revolves around a group of teens facing their fears to save their lives, then it must indeed rely on good story telling and scares rather than the gore. I am currently watching the Netflix series The Society and recommend it. I enjoyed Mandy Moore in 47 Meters Down and am eager to watch the sequel.

Enjoy the rest of your week, good buddy Alex!

L.G. Keltner said...

None of the movies this month have particularly caught my eye, which is just as well considering I likely won't get a chance to go to the movie theater anyway. As always, I enjoyed your snarky comments.

Elizabeth Seckman said...

I didn't realize that movie was a franchise. Best I should pass.

Being surprised by hitting best seller lists is an awesome surprise.

Heather Erickson said...

Hi Alex. You work hard and you write well, so it's no surprise to me that you and your books are doing well. Have a great month!

Pat Garcia said...

Hitting the top in the US and the UK is a pleasant surprise and an affirmation of your talent.
All the best.

Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange

Truedessa said...

Hi Alex,

Welcome back! I am so glad to read your writing is making progress. Hopefully, we will get an adventure to read soon.

I am not surprised your books did so well. You have an amazing talent.

Have a wonderful week!

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

When I started writing years ago, I was surprised. Being a teacher was all I planned, but it actually was my students that helped me change my mind. You never know. A busy time of year. Happy Writing to everyone.

Susan Kane said...

Hobbs and Shaw was really a comedy to us. the repartee between them was delightful, and Ryan Reynolds is always a treat. What will they do next? Will there be a next?

Rhonda Albom said...

Your books are excellent, so you shouldn't be surprised by their success. For me, sometimes my stats really surprise me in a good way, at other times its the opposite.

As for the rest, Fast and Furious sounds like my kind of fun, although I don't know Hobbs and Shaw.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Shady, I'll have to look for that series.

Susan, it's making a ton of money - there will be another!

Thanks, guys!

Chemist Ken said...

My son is a big fan of the Fast and Furious series, so I'm pretty sure we'll be seeing that one.

kimlajevardi.com said...

Yay for the writing and topping Amazon lists! I'm always surprised when the page comes to life. From first draft to third+, the transformation sometimes takes mt=y breath away.

Denise Covey said...

Hi Alex! Yes writing always catches us by surprise doesn't it? How many times have you said you're writing your last book, then away you go again.
Thanks for including WEP in your post. Have a great month!

John Wiswell said...

Hobbs & Shaw was so ridiculous and fun. I'm totally on board with seeing these two families clash and laugh going forward.

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

Sounds like you had some great surprises in your writing career! I wish you continued success!

Liz A. said...

I don't think I'll be seeing any movies this month. Nothing is looking interesting at the moment.

Powdered Toast Man said...

I just hope the fast and furious franchise doesn't turn in the American Pie franchise.

Fast and Furious presents Computer Camp.

Nick Wilford said...

Hitting the top of the charts sounds like the best kind of surprise!

Olga Godim said...

I'm not surprised at your online support. You give it to others first.

Renee Scattergood said...

I think the highest I've gotten on Amazon in the dark fantasy (free) section was #13. That was pretty cool. Not sure how I managed it though. LOL

Have you written about how you do your marketing?

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Denise, I keep trying to quit...

PTM, that would be awful.

Renee, no, I haven't.

Thanks, everyone!

Chrys Fey said...

I'm a huge fan of the Fast & Furious franchise, and Hobbs & Shaw looks like it'll be awesome and fun.

Doreen McGettigan said...

I'm so happy to hear you've gotten a lot of writing done! Summer is such a time sucker for me Its so inspiring when I hear of a fellow writer's determination.
I love Kevin Hart so am looking forward to seeing Hobbs & Shaw.
My husband and I spent 2 weeks trying to get over sinus infections by binge watching Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. One of our granddaughters called and asked if we needed to borrow a child to see The Lion King. Once we get back to Philly from Florida we'll be seeing that with her.,

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I'm catching up on movies I didn't see in theaters. Shazam is on my list. I'm sure my husband will want to see Angel Has Fallen when it comes out on demand.

F. Stone said...

Never saw the author thing coming? That's surprising. It would be fun to corner your muse and get his version on how you were seduced. :)

Toi Thomas said...

Thanks for hosting another great hop.
Great post.
I think I may actually skip the movies this month.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

This blog community is definitely and by far, one of the nicest surprises of my life. You're a big part of that Alex.
Be well.

Mark Koopmans said...

I still get surprised when someone says they like the piece I've shared with them! (Will that ever change? I think not :)

Mary Kirkland said...

47 Meters Down sounds like a movie I'll be watching at some point. I don't have any books published but I'm always surprised when one of my blog posts gets hundreds of views on it.

Michael Di Gesu said...

The amazing support given and received in our community was a surprise to me at first, but not for many years now. It's so reassuring that we can still count on this community to be there for us when we need help. A lot of that has to do with you Alex....

Roland Clarke said...

Although your success took you by surprise, it doesn't surprise me.

I wasn't so much surprised by my lack of success but at how few of my extensive equestrian colleagues read my equestrian-based crime mystery - especially as so many kept asking me about it while I was working on it. Getting something written for the anthology might surprise me.

Beth Camp said...

The number of well-deserved comments here is just one more indicator of the support you deserve, not only for your writing but also for your generous support to other writers on so many levels. So kudos for all your writing successes, past and future projects. May you continue to be surprised!

diedre Knight said...

Howdy, Captain!

You never saw it coming? That’s probably a good way to look at things. I tend to believe anything is possible just to keep my hopes up. I’m not surprised you received such online support, and what is amazing is how much you pay it back to others. Yay, you – on the summer writing progress!

My grandson recently started reading the ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ book and now doesn’t think he should watch the movie ;- ) I might watch ‘Angel Has Fallen’. Everyone here wants to see ‘Hobbs and Shaw’.

Happy August!

Samantha Bryant said...

You know, I hadn't really thought about it, but the supportiveness of the writing community was the very best kind of surprise. Other writers are so generous with their time and energy! @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act

Lidy said...

I’m not much of a fan of the F&F franchise but my husband is. Went to see Hobbs & Shaw and loved the interaction between them. Enjoyed the action too. Already seen MIB International which wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be (but nothing beats the original, first movie).

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you got a bunch of writing done last month. That's awesome. Hubby loved Hobbs & Shaw. He said he really enjoyed Idris Elba.

You're right, the support online surprised me. Not just on writing but getting me through one of the darkest times in my life. That's why I'm still blogging today.

Elsie

The Angry Lurker said...

I'm looking forward to some Hobbs and Shaw!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Doreen, that all made me chuckle. Kevin Hart is hilarious in the film.

Susan, Shazam was just good fun.

Feather, you got to get him to talk first.

Thank you, Robyn!

Thanks, Michael!

Roland, hope you do contribute to the contest.

Thank you, Beth!

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I want to see 47 Meters Down uncaged but I'm a big chicken. The first one scared me quite a bit.

I'm going to Hobbs and Shaw maybe tomorrow for a matinee. Should be a great treat.

Steven Arellano Rose Jr. said...

Except for Godzilla King of Monsters, at least to me, it's been a bad summer for movies. Seems like it's been nothing but commercial hyped sequels or movies with over used plots and cliches (my opinion). I'd like to see King of Monsters in IMAX but I don't think it's shown in that format in my area yet. I guess I'll either try to find a movie in the park or rent something I haven't seen yet. Lol.

Sandra Cox said...

That's awesome that you've done so well in your genre, Alex.
You rock:)

Liesbet said...

It sure looks and sounds like you're on a roll, writing lots this summer, Alex. Well done!! And, those surprises you mention in your life as a writer, I'd sign up for them. :-)

Another movie about a president's potential assassination... I think I'd rather read a book, or try to enjoy the rest of the summer weather outdoors.

Thanks for hosting the IWSG, as always.

Al Penwasser said...

I still haven't see "Spiderman." I've been busy. Okay, that's a lie. I've been lazy.

mail4rosey said...

You are very lucky to have gotten into work that gives you fulfillment. I love teaching, but I think they only love me because my test scores are so high. I see when teachers dip, they fire them or reprimand them. I've been lucky so far, but it all depends on the students you get. And that's the culture when school funding is tied to scores.

I got your comment on my St. Augustine post, but I accidentally deleted a whole batch by hitting 'delete' instead of 'publish' (ugh). I did see it though, and thanks for visiting. It was a fun couple of days. :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Michael, but you love sharks!

Steven, Godzilla was awesome, wasn't it?

Al, own it!

Rosey, no worries!

Fundy Blue said...

Hi, Alex! I'm finally beginning my IWSG rounds, a day later than I had planned. I was so tired when I got home that I slept and slept. I love your surprised by writing story! What a feeling that must have been! So glad to hear that you got lots of writing done last month. I can't wait to read your next book! Take care!

Sabrina A. Fish said...

I have a new story idea that came as a random surprise after a philosophical conversation with my 12 year old about death. I love those kinds of surprises the best!

I also have a cute idea for the IWSG anthology contest, but I need to get it finished first. As with everything, I'm probably going to have it ready at the last possible second!

Al Penwasser said...

Another weekend of not seeing Spiderman.
And now I'm going to see a baseball game.
Perhaps NEXT weekend...?
LOL...I'll be sure to let you know. Spiderman WAS my favorite superhero, so I really should go.

Blue Grumpster said...

I left my brain at the door and found a way to enjoy this movie. I like the actors, which makes a whole lot of a difference.

Sandra Cox said...

Hope your weekend was fun and filled with movies:)

Shannon Lawrence said...

I was surprised when a humorous piece I wrote received a good reception since it's not my norm. It was a lot of fun to write, too.

I'm looking forward to Hobbs & Shaw.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Louise, no worries!

Sabrina, hope you get it done.

Al, you should!

Christine Rains said...

My writing surprises me all the time with twists and turns. I love being a pantser! :) My son actually wanted to see Hobbs & Shaw, so we went last weekend. Your review is spot-on. It was just a lot of fun. My hubby and I watched Rifftrax version of Samurai Cop on Saturday. Totally needed that laugh. Have a great week, Alex!

Sussu said...

Congrats! That's amazing.

DMS said...

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark looks much scarier than I expected. The trailer looks super scary!

I have been surprised by things I have written- but often I am surprised when I look back at things I have written and can't remember writing the piece of the outline. I recently found a whole back story I had written about my book and characters and it was all new to me- but I had written it years ago. :)
~Jess

Damyanti Biswas said...

We might be watching the Fast and Furious this coming weekend. Thanks for all this sterling collation of info, Alex.

Sandra Cox said...

Congrats to our authors with new releases.

Have a great day, Alex.

J.H. Moncrieff said...

Congratulations on getting some writing done! And on cracking the best-seller lists. That's huge.

My writing surprises me all the time. I had a previous not-so-great experience with an agent, so I was reluctant to sign with one again. Turned a few down. My current agent was newer, so I almost said no to her too, but her boss is a BIG agent and convinced me to give it a shot. I'm so glad I did.

I thought, "Well, I'll give her a year, and if she hasn't even tried to sell my book by then, I haven't lost that much time."

She hit the ground running, starting nearly right away, and undaunted when the print rights weren't an instant sell. Instead, she sold the audio rights, for a figure I thought was astounding. And even though the audiobook publisher has a year's exclusive, she's already trying to sell the ebook and print rights again. She's phenomenal. She's sent another one of my novels to a different publisher and has agents out there trying to sell the foreign rights to City of Ghosts.

It's fair to say she surprised the heck out of me. Thankfully, in a good way.

Stephen Tremp said...

Summer between Memorial Day and Labor Day is slow for the movies so we've been renting a lot these past couple months.

Lynda Dietz said...

Better late than never to the party here, I suppose! The F&F movies are fun for the sake of it, and I don't mind leaving my brain at home sometimes.

I'm glad to hear you're writing a lot, and am looking forward to whatever you come up with. Your success as a writer is a result of the hard work you put in and I'm pretty sure your online support from others is kind of a "you reap what you sow" situation. :)

Magic Love Crow said...

Congrats on getting so much written! You deserve the support for on line! You do so much for others Alex! I am so happy about your books being such a success!
Not sure if I will see Hobbs and Shaw?
Congrats on everyone's new releases!
Take care Alex!

Sandra Cox said...

I'm toying with Angel Has Fallen.
YOU have a great one.

XmasDolly said...

WOW "ANGEL HAS FALLEN" Sounds like a great book to read. I think I'll go on Amazon & look it up & see what's happening with that one. I'm not much of a reader and when something catches my eye I gotta go after it. hehehe... YEP, FOR REAL!!! AND ON TOP OF IT ALL............. I'M A STEPHEN KING ADDIQUE. HOW ABOUT YOU.... ARE YOU A STEPHEN KING FAN??? I loved, "The Gunslinger" it's called. OH!!! By the way, do you know anything about Amazon or do you have any clout there? I got myself in a pickle there when I did some reviews and they were good it got me in trouble and they won't let me do any reviews there anymore and if I can't do reviews that means no giveaways too!!! SO SAD! So what can you do for me, PLEASE/?????? tanks!